‘Leave’ vote could put Leighton jobs at risk

Richard Howitt MEP with Steve Pierce and three generations of his family at his Leighton Buzzard-based transport haulage company

Published:07:20Friday 17 June 2016

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A successful European haulage company claims jobs will be safeguarded at its Leighton Buzzard base if Britain votes to ‘Remain’ in the European Union.

Steven Pierce, managing partner of S&J Pierce Transport, of Firbank Way, met with Bedfordshire Euro MP Richard Howitt on Friday, June 10 to confirm how a vote to ‘Leave’ could set the local firm back by more than 30 years and add a day to every delivery.

S&J Pierce Transport employs more than 35 staff and sends seven trucks each day into Europe carrying cars and vehicle items.

The firm says currently all goods are ‘Customs cleared’ already because Britain is in the European Union and this means a driver just needs one sheet of paper with them in the lorry, do not have to wait at border crossings and can reach anywhere in the European Union within 48 hours.

Leaving the European Union could delay each truck by up to one day according to Steven Pierce, leading to a serious loss of revenue for S&J Piece and potential job losses.

Labour MEP Richard Howitt said: “The EU Referendum is about local people and local jobs and this is a classic example, right here is Leighton Buzzard, how the jobs of everyday people are on the line on June 23.

“Whilst ‘leave’ campaigners complain about so-called ‘red tape’, this Bedfordshire company shows clearly that businesses would suffer more delay, bureaucracy and cost if we were forced to leave the European Union.

“It is vitally important that we hear from local success stories like S&J because it will be these people that have to pick up the pieces if we ‘Leave’ the European Union, not those politicians who tell us everything will somehow be okay.

“Today I have heard how Bedfordshire is a gateway to Europe and unless we vote to Remain that will be at risk.”